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Randy Couture vs. Josh Barnett
The fight was for the UFC heavyweight championship with Randy Couture defending. Josh Barnett lost the title afterwards, testing positive for steroids and stripped of the title. Couture fought Ricco Rodriguez for the vacant title and lost, going down to 205. The Fight The first round began and they touched gloves. Barnett came forward immediately and Couture came for the takedown and Barnett defended into the clinch and landed a good knee to the body, and Couture returned it. Couture had those underhooks. He landed another good knee to the body. Couture landed another knee. Couture dragged him down into half-guard, pressing Barnett into the cage. Couture landed a few good shots. Couture landed another shot and stood over Barnett, landed a good kick to the leg. Couture landed a big right hand from standing over Barnett. Barnett tried to switch to a kneebar and Couture went down into guard. Barnett worked a high guard, but Couture forced Barnett into the cage. Barnett seemed to be wanting a triangle. Couture landed some good short shots. Barnett looked for an armbar. Couture landed a big right square into the middle of Barnett's face, that was a big shot, really big, and then an elbow. Couture landed another big shot and another. Barnett tried to grab another armbar and Couture pulled away into side control. Barnett was wall-walking. Couture responded trying a kimura. Barnett rolled and nearly grabbed a kneebar. Couture stood to avoid and turned away and they stood into the clinch and Couture grabbed a standing guillotine, Barnett pulled out and Couture landed a knee to the face. Barnett landed a good knee to the body, and then another, and another. Barnett landed another big knee and another. Couture landed a knee to the thigh. They both looked for underhooks, meanwhile. Couture landed a good uppercut inside and then a nice hook inside. Barnett landed a good knee to the body and another. Barnett landed another big knee, these knees were counting, they were hurting. The first round ended. Close, exciting fight so far. Couture had a little cut above his right eyebrow, it looked like. The second round began. Couture landed a body shot and they clinched. Couture looked for a double-leg but Barnett was having none of that. Couture dragged Barnett down however. Couture just sat on him for a moment and then passed to mount. Barnett bucked him off and Couture stood and went back down into half-guard to avoid another kneebar attempt. Barnett put him back in guard. Couture landed a few nice shots from the top. Barnett landed some elbows from the bottom. Couture landed some more good shots, going body-body-head. Barnett landed some good elbows from the bottom. Couture was trying to pass and Barnett nearly had a kneebar and Couture spun out and he was turtled up, Barnett had his back, landing big shots in under, Barnett was on top landing big elbows and shots just repeatedly, big elbows, big shots, just pounding Couture, big shots from... half-guard now, big shots. More big shots from Barnett. A big elbow from Barnett, more big shots. More big shots, big elbow, big shots, more big lefts, big shots, big big shots repeatedly, they just kept coming, big elbows, those were hurting. More big elbows and shots. More big shots from Barnett over and over and the referee stopped the fight with twenty-seven seconds left in the round, and Barnett drew the knife across his throat twice. He was the new UFC heavyweight champion... until the post-fight drug test.